Heritage Plan

Restoration of Streetscapes

The purpose would be to restore the streetscapes to historically appropriate architecture predating July 1, 1916, the battle at Beaumont-Hamel. The premise of this proposal is if the soldiers who died that day could return to St. John's, would they still recognize the city they left behind? The idea is similar to the steps taken to rebuild European cities after WW2, such as Warsaw in Poland, where photographs can be used to reconstruct the destroyed facades. While some argue this is fake architecture, similar to a Disney World, the difference is this restoration would be historically appropriate to St. John's and hold a more profound significance to the province's history and pay respect to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. As the scope is only the front facades of structures, this policy can be applied to new construction and renovations. For example, the 2016 extension of the Scotia Centre could have included the restoration of the previous façade facing Water Street and Ayres Cove. The Anglican Parish Hall Development could have also incorporated façade restoration along Queens Road, including a partial tower reconstruction, without impacting the larger Phase 3 development.

Make this city wide.

As someone in GOULDS I love to see the heritage disgination to a city wide thing..

Deconstruction & Salvage Policy

Deconstruction & salvage of all available architectural & heritage building materials (interior & exterior) when a heritage property has been approved for demolition by the City. Applicable when heritage properties have been determined to have reached the end of their life in terms of preservation, restoration or re-use due to owner inability (or owner decision) not to maintain and preserve a heritage property - essentially demolition by neglect. Admittedly, this idea may seem out of place in a discussion concerning the many variables involved in creating a new Heritage Plan. It is an unusual perspective as I have long voiced concerns regarding a number of built heritage properties throughout the City & Province. I support & encourage the full protection of heritage & historic structures (& any related ideas that can lead to them being saved, restored, preserved, rehabilitated & re-used) but I cannot ignore the reality that continues to happen in our City (and beyond) as individual structures disappear one-by-one by swift, mechanical demolition. *I've drafted a longer, detailed & referenced document that I will forward to Council separately.

Converting to clean heating energy will be a challenge for some heritage buildings. Reliable guidelines for all building types are necessary

Guidelines for conversion to clean energy

Overhaul the Heritage Area Design Standards

Distinctive original features in the Heritage Areas are being replaced with generic approximations. Materials are being added where they never existed and do not make sense. It is easier to demolish a building than it is to install a non-standard window. In fact, there's no limit on demolition at all. This is all permitted, and sometimes encouraged, by the current Heritage Area Design Standards. Whether we reference the national Standards and Guidelines or not, our approach needs a rethink.

view scapes and land scapes

Make view scape and landscape maps of the City and use them to inform land use planning in the City: e.g. a mapping layer that identifies places in the City that a member of the public travelling on the sidewalks by foot or on the streets by car can see the ocean, Southside Hills, Signal Hill. It is surprising and unexpectedly beautiful to find oneself lost in some suburb and suddenly see in the distance the magically winding road leading up to Cabot Tower and the ocean beyond. Figure out an equitable sample of these sites and integrate the protection of these views into a landscape plan that limits how development of the City proceeds.

City needs to encourage (not hinder as is done now) infill development that celebrates new architecture that will be future heritage.

Consider future heritage; build new “heritage”. Current development of the burbs will be just as ugly and unliveable 100 years from now.